StubHub World Cup ticket complaints under investigation in B.C.

Consumer Protection BC is investigating complaints about ticket reseller StubHub from people who say they didn’t receive their World Cup tickets.

The regulator’s spokeswoman Louise Hartland said in a statement Friday that the agency has an open investigation into the ticket selling practices of StubHub and whether the company is in compliance with the province’s consumer protection laws.

“Since the start of the tournament, we have received three complaints from consumers who purchased World Cup tickets and say the tickets weren’t issued to them. I cannot comment on open investigations,” she said.

B.C.’s Attorney General Niki Sharma said in a statement on Friday that the reports “are deeply concerning.” 

“While I cannot comment on this investigation directly, and StubHub has publicly committed to honouring its refund guarantees to fans, I want people to know they may have options available to them if they have been affected,” Sharma said.

“The Ticket Sales Act promotes transparency and accountability in ticket sales and sets out when someone may be entitled to a refund. The act bans selling tickets that a business doesn’t actually own or control.”

Consumer Protection BC has posted information on its website specifically for consumers who purchased World Cup tickets and didn’t receive them.

Hartland said the information was shared in response to media coverage in other jurisdictions around this issue, anticipating potential complaints in B.C.

Sharma said major events like the World Cup should be an exciting experience and people should not have to worry about whether the tickets they purchased will be honoured. 

StubHub said in a statement that the issues fans have experienced at the World Cup are largely transfer problems, not ticket problems. 

It said FIFA’s own ticketing infrastructure, including a new app launched right before the tournament began, has had significant performance issues that have affected transfers across all resale platforms.

“We’ve responded by standing up a dedicated World Cup support team and expanding our capacity to source replacement tickets for affected customers,” it said. 

“Every order is backed by our FanProtect Guarantee, and getting fans to their matches remains our top priority for the rest of this tournament,” the statement said. 

Published decisions on the Consumer Protection BC website show this is not the first World Cup-related investigation it has done.

In June, it entered into an agreement with FWC26 Canada Football Ltd, a subsidiary of FIFA involved in the Vancouver games, after investigators alleged Canada Football contravened the Ticket Sales Act by not clearly disclosing information on an event ticket.

As part of the agreement, Canada Football was required to display refund guarantees more prominently and clearly to anyone buying a ticket to an event in B.C., according to a summary of the decision.

The attorney general’s statement said Consumer Protection BC has taken action against StubHub in the past when it reached an agreement with the company to provide refunds to customers who did not receive clear and accurate information about their tickets for the December 2024 Taylor Swift concerts in Vancouver.

At the time, the agency said consumers who purchased tickets through StubHub may be eligible for a refund if their ticket did not disclose an obstructed or limited view.

“We will continue to monitor this situation to support consumers and better understand the issues being raised,” Sharma said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 26, 2026. 

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